Macross Frontier

[Buffalobiian]

[gg] Macros Frontier - 10

[Ryllharu]

Some of this is a rehash, some of it new based off this episode, but I think this is where the little triangle stands now.

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I’ve really been enjoying the two heroines passing Alto back and forth honestly.

But I’m still rooting for the Sheryl x Alto ending. Ranka’s role in all this is to become a burgeoning superstar, like Minmay (even comes from a Chinese restaurant), and influence the fight like Minmay, since every vajra in the galaxy is attracted to Ranka…
And maybe we’ll even see her singing of “Aimo” save Alto from a near death situation like Myung did to Isamu in Plus and Mao did to Shin in Zero.

In Sheryl’s development, we get to see the more natural side to her. One that it should be very clear from her playtime at the mall and various other alone time with Alto that she only shows him. In front of her fans, Sheryl has to be The Galactic Fairy, but when she’s with Alto she can be herself. Manipulative, toying, playful wonderful tsundere bitch that she is.

And from that standpoint, we can see why she would open up to Alto. Just like everyone else at the filming, Sheryl has known *exactly* who Alto is from long before. She knows he’s a famous kabuki actor. Sheryl also understands that he ran away from show business to do what he really wants, flying, and understands that completely. Being similar people, Sheryl loves to sing, but with Alto, she can really be herself and the two both understand.

And it’s not like Sheryl and Ranka are all that competitive. Sheryl has helped Ranka gain her own popularity and career with helpful advice. She lets Ranka earn her own place, rather than saying “I’m Sheryl and this is Ranka Lee, everyone love her too!” Sheryl wants Ranka to realize how important singing is to the both of them, and rise on her own…with a little bit of encouragement here and there.

If Ranka keeps to the sidelines and loses Alto to Sheryl that way, it’s her own fault. She simply realized it later than Sheryl, who liked to toy with Alto right away.

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But we have people on the other side of the argument that say Alto gets a lot more embarrassed around Ranka, lots of blushing all around, never really knows what to say to her, etc, and that proves that Ranka should be the one he ends up with.

I cannot see it reduced to something so simple. It's true that Alto really doesn't have a clue how to relate to Ranka, and he is very aware of her. I believe that exact same reason is why Sheryl is not only very much a contender, but the eventual victor. Alto is clearly very comfortable around Sheryl, and he lashes out at her constantly. She is able to break through the bubble he places around himself, and really get under his skin. I think this is because Alto is very unaware of Sheryl. It's part of the reason she seems to like him. He doesn't see her as anyone other than who she is.

But the ways that Sheryl plays with Alto, he never views her in any serious way. In this episode, he blushes a great deal even thinking about kissing Ranka, but after Sheryl plays her earlier kiss off as a joke, Alto remains relaxed. Sheryl is just going through the tsundere motions as I mentioned above, but it will come down to her either discovering she really does like Alto (which she may already from the concert where she cried before singing "Infinity" with Ranka), or Alto finally seeing through her bullshit and coming to the conclusion she has not been stringing him along all of the times.

[Darknodin]

I just want to state that last week's discussion got me to watch Zero in its entirety (i had only seen the first three eps prior), something i finished doing yesterday.
That made this episode just awesome. one of my favourites so far (maybe because for me it was a 3 hour ep with an epilogue far in the future?).
but damn! they had money to make this movie? a full size Birdman head!? commandeering VF-25s to then use CGI to make VF-0s? in WAR time!???
other weird things to note... why do they have griffins? (experiment gone wrong... or right?) and Sheryl's assistant as a man... also, no mention of the Nome name while there is a mention of some sort of connection between Ranka and Mao...

so many questions!

[Ryllharu]

The chimera (as they were calling it) are more common than this episode made it out to seem.

One of the Zentradi has one sitting on its lap like a cat in the mall episode (eps 5, 13:34).

[Darknodin]

The chimera (as they were calling it) are more common than this episode made it out to seem.

One of the Zentradi has one sitting on its lap like a cat in the mall episode (eps 5, 13:34).

I don't really doubt that since Ranka seemed to be more surprised at the fact that it attacked her than at the fact that it existed.

just where do they come from? Zentradi? Humans? (and more importantly... where can I get one!)

[KrayZ33]

Wow

great episode, it felt actually very good to see these Macross Zero scenes again.. not only that, the animation quality of this episode was back to normal again (if not even better! god the characters were really well animated this time! If this is what happens when there is an "actionless", ok there *was* some action in it actually, episode, then I don't mind. )
the fight against the hydra was funny looked like it was taken out of a naruto movie, which isn't a bad thing btw.

Ranka looked more like an adult in her white dress now... not like the little child she resembled before which will make the love-story more interesting for me now..
but well, she will never reach sheryls attractivity in my opinion ^.^, sheryl looks way too sexy compared to her, hehe

@ryllharu

I think the whole "Alto is blushing a lot"-thingy has nothing to do with everything... tell me who wouldn't be embarrassed if he had to kiss one of his (girl)friends. The whole situation itself was a bit embarrassing so its just natural to blush there :P and lets not forget that he blushed about that kiss scene even befeore he knew who was playing as Mao
And in fact, I've rarely seen Alto blushing around Ranka... when he is around Sheryl however, it seems to happen very often.
Thanks to the whole "earring" story, Sheryl has the advantage in the "war of alto's love" and I hope it will end with Sheryl x Alto... or at least with an open love story...

I won't accept Ranka! Never! at least not in her "condition", she simply doesn't "deserve" his love yet... she did nearly nothing for it, and Alto doesn't show any special affection towards her. In my opinion Alto sees her as a very good friend... much like Michael etc. someone he can hang out with even though he doesn't know much about her, or maybe he sees her as something like his little sister? But definitively it's not love at the moment.

I saw "love" in his eyes when he tried to give Sheryl's earring back, or when she always looked at it and probably thought about her while flying his VF. This didn't happen in one scene with Ranka yet...
and there was this stuff at the school too when Sheryl + Alto were flying towards the setting sun.


Wow its actually pretty suprising that this episode was as entertaining, if not even better, than all those action episodes. I did like it very much, no complaints on my side... a perfect episode

and btw I wanted to write some other thing about Sheryl+Alto... but I forgot it while writing this extremely long post... *gnaaaahhh*
damn, I'm pretty sure it was very important

[Yukimura]

There is only Sheryl x Alto. Ranka can romance Purpule-kun until it's revealed that he's her brother (likely after at a kiss) then Ranka will resolve herself to not worry about love and focus on her career. At the same time Sheryl will realize being in the limelight all the time gets in the way of just being Sheryl and she'll become Alto's gf and slide her way out of the business to be more free and just sing whenever she feels like it, like in the middle of Zentradi malls.

Also, I think someone might have to die. I have no idea if there's a precedent for death in Macross series, but I feel like the Michel-Klan situation can only get resolved with a death and I also think Ranka might grow in a more interesting way if her brother was to kick it. Even if deaths aren't normal in Macross and none of these things can happen the show can still take us plenty of interesting places and I look forward to the ride.

[Kraco]

I won't accept Ranka! Never! at least not in her "condition", she simply doesn't "deserve" his love yet... she did nearly nothing for it...

As opposed to Sheryl who uses Alto as a plaything to relieve stress after work? When during all the scenes between Alto and Sheryl has Sheryl even once stopped to consider what Alto might be thinking, wishing, or wanting? Sheryl isn't herself, free of the star behavior in Alto's company. Quite the contrary: She sheds the forced positive behavior patterns that are expected of a public figure and does whatever she wants 100% selfishly, like a spoiled kid.

I think it's pretty interesting Alto accepts all that. I deem it tells of his upbringing and what kind of household he lived in. Since his parents were in such an old-fashioned business, it's reasonable to assume the code of conduct back at his home could have been quite formal and strict. Despite the fact he rebelled and left, he still slides back to being subservient when Sheryl with her strong personality comes to dominate him. But if that in the long run helps him to sort out and come to terms with his past, I guess it's all good.

Ranka is just an ordinary girl with issues of self-consciousness and nervousness, multiplied by the fact she has to compare herself to a superstar like Sheryl. It's quite unreasonable to expect her to march forward as bravely as Sheryl, and then when she can't, say she doesn't deserve Alto.

Well, I don't anymore have such issues accepting Sheryl. If she became a bit less of a self-centered bitch I might even begin to like her in Alto's company.

[David75]

I see sheryl like a grand kid.
When she was bitching in first ep about alto and his partners, it really was because she was exhausted as her assistant suggested the scene before.

Sheryl is a little more on the adult side, compared to Ranka, probably because she's older and faces a professionnal life everyday. But when freed from chores, she's just a playful child and only acts as such with Alto. That doesn't mean she'd win in the end, because her behavior could be one of a sister or cousin if you take the kiss part into account.

Ranka is still a shy child, she isn't on the way to becoming a woman, it's way too early for her to go past a secret love for Alto.

[MFauli]

If Alto choses fugly, bitchy Sherly over beautfiul, sweet Ranka, i´ll lose faith in anime script writing!

Nothing more to so :P

[Psyke]

I honestly thought I downloaded an episode of Zero by mistake when I first saw the opening scene.

[Yukimura]

Sheryl doesn't seem 'bitchy' to me, she just seems to be very selfish and playful whenever it suits her. The reason I don't categorize it as bitchiness is because being selfish isn't all there is to her personality. When it comes to providing for her fans or when she's in a sticky situation she doesn't back down of fall apart and cower under the pressure, demanding that someone else come and save her while she hides. Instead she actively attacks the problem herself and tries to get it solved no matter what the costs to her are.

Of course, this generally leads to her needing to be saved necessitating a boyfriend figure like Alto to be around. I can respect someone who goes overboard while attempting to solve a problem and then needs to be saved from themselves a lot more than someone cowering in a fear of a problem and demanding someone else save them from it.

Ranka is cute and she seems to be headed down the path towards where Sheryl is already, but she's not there yet. On the surface Alto doesn't seem to have much in the emotional needs department so there's not that much of a problem with him following around Sheryl and cleaning up after her. However, he has some deeper issues that I don't think Ranka's bright-eyed optimism approach would be well suited to addressing were he to turn to her for support. Plus while both have strong merits I think I would have more fun getting into trouble with Sheryl than babysitting Ranka and her insecurities.

EDIT @ Below: She's taken time on more than on occasion to offer a helping hand to Ranka when she could have just as easily run after a random shiny object instead. Sheryl is capable of being nice and even supportive when she wants to be. The issue is getting her to want to be, which depends on what develops between her and Alto.

[Kraco]

However, he has some deeper issues that I don't think Ranka's bright-eyed optimism approach would be well suited to addressing were he to turn to her for support.

That's probably true, but on the other hand Sheryl has no time for somebody else's problems. Maybe if Sheryl changes her thinking and starts to consider Alto not a plaything but a possible partner, then it could happen. But being such a big star in the show business, I'm far from sure she could do that even if she wanted.

[Ryllharu]

I recently acquired the dvds of the original SDF-1 series, and it even makes my eyes bleed at times. Although one has to be impressed when the animators can use exactly three frames (and I do not mean looped) to animate a Valkyrie walking down a hallway.

In any case, I have regained some of the insight I once had in the series and a chance to fill in all of the gaps. Quite the refresher at only episode 11. By episode 21, you can pull a lot of comparisons between the relationships in SDF, and the slowly developing ones in Frontier. The enjoyment of Frontier goes up quite a bit as well, just being able to catch all the homages.

For instance, the entire bridge crew of the Quarter, from right to left into the bridge.

The captains look identical, though Frontier's Capt. Glass has a scar, no other discernible differences. Cathy Glass is of course modeled directly after Misa Hayase, from the vaguely wavy hair (compared to Hayase's end of her hair cinnamon buns) on through their personalities of being by-the-book and a total tsundere. In SDF-1, a very forward and open black helmswoman becomes an extremely effeminate black male in Frontier. Same afro, same personality.

Even the operators each take up one aspect.

In Frontier, one is very cutesy (left), just like in SDF-1, one is a bit more serious but jokes around a lot (right) and has short hair, just like in SDF-1. The one in the middle is a special case. Why do her eyes look like that? Her appearance is in fact an homage to the art style of the original 1983 SDF-1 series. She has very simplified features, but what stands out the most are her half-lidded eyes, in the style of 70s and 80s shoujo characters, which the art of the original series carries. Whenever any character in SDF smiles, their eyes look exactly the same way.

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Where I am going with all this:

Just a little insight for everyone into the original series before I get to my real point.

It's really easy to compare Ranka to Minmay when you don't remember the story all that well. Both rising idols, etc etc. But that simplification couldn't be more wrong. In fact, you'd need to combine Sheryl and Ranka to even get close to a similarity between the two heroines of Frontier and Minmay.

I would not even hesitate to say that Sheryl is Minmay's exact opposite in personality. While it is true that both come off very fickle and selfish (more than enough reason to despise Minmay), Sheryl works in the opposite ways that Minmay did.

That's probably true, but on the other hand Sheryl has no time for somebody else's problems. Maybe if Sheryl changes her thinking and starts to consider Alto not a plaything but a possible partner, then it could happen. But being such a big star in the show business, I'm far from sure she could do that even if she wanted.

If anything, Sheryl's behavior is almost a response to Minmay's. Minmay treats Hikaru like a rainy-day plaything. She's very quick to abandon him when things are good, and only seems to go back to him when she's feeling down, lonely, or some other desperate situation. Much like Sheryl, when Minmay said "jump," she expected Hikaru to do so.

The difference lies in Sheryl's patterns. Sheryl spends her best times with Alto. When she starts to feel sad, she expresses it on stage...or alone until Alto or someone else approaches her. Minmay may be one of the biggest teases in anime earlier on in SDF, and while Sheryl seems that way, she focuses her entire attentions on Alto alone. Rather than a "rainy day boytoy," Alto is the only thing that ever interests Sheryl (other than encouraging Ranka). We saw how quickly she snubbed the current Miss Macross, and the other stars of the film. Sheryl has made new friends aboard the Frontier Fleet, and she keeps them incredibly close.

So that's why I think that Sheryl very much takes the time for others' problems, at the least the ones that concern her personal affairs. With all her work, she should not really have any time to spare, but she spends whatever free time she does have with Alto or Ranka, and now she is able to include a larger group with Alto and Ranka's friends at the school. Sheryl also specially requests Alto to be her escort, much to his continued dismay, in order to keep him close to her.

She's very aware of all of it. Perhaps her feelings are still subconscious, but Sheryl shows very deliberate efforts to keep what makes her the happiest around her.


So where does Ranka fit into all of this? Ranka too is like a early Minmay. Her budding career is quite obviously pulling her away from Alto, but fortunately, she is recognizing it this early, unlike Minmay ever did. It's well too soon to say whether Ranka will be forced to choose Alto or singing, but Ranka will benefit from realizing this a little sooner.

Ranka's connection with Brera (whatever it may be) is similar to Minmay's relationship with her cousin a little.
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I'm thinking Sheryl has the upper hand overall since she already knows what she wants (to keep things and people she likes close to her) and leaving open the possibility for her to recognize her own affections for Alto as a partner rather than a plaything.

[Darknodin]

no one posted this...

Episode 11
http://www.nyaatorrents.org/?page=download&tid=23277

the sub is pretty bad... but the episode is good as always. its really rare in a show with such over the top battle scenes, that i find myself enjoying the non battle eps as much as the action ones.

[Buffalobiian]

Macross Frontier - 11 gg Fansubs

I'm still a few eps behind, waiting for HD releases....but here you go.

[Ryllharu]

So according to the phone call, they are sending Sheryl and Alto into a trap. Makes me wonder if Grace and the other asshole are trying to steal Sheryl's other earring, but if they really wanted it, Grace could just take it.

I liked how jealous Cathy was getting when they were talking about Ranka being successful. If Asshole is just using her, I wonder if this will end with Asshole and Grace on one side and Cathy, Ozma and the rest of the SMS on the other. Here's hoping for a Cathy x Ozma reunion ending.

But the bigger question right now is all about the love triangle. Now that Ranka knows that she has "lost" this early into the series, what is she going to do about it now? There is plenty of time for her to turn this around, unlike Minmay. Or will Sheryl close the deal? In addition, we have the other Kabuki actor telling Alto that he is lying to himself. Will that affect the relationships in any way? Alto's drive is similar to Sheryl's (which is why she's stubborn enough to stay in the pilot program even though it started as a publicity stunt). If Alto wavers and goes back to merely what he's "born to do" will Sheryl like him the same way?

In any case, it seems like Sheryl is getting close to genuinely loving Alto. Will she admit her feelings before Ranka?

In the Macross tradition, it's never the one who "acts first, loses" or "meets first, loses." It's all a simple matter of whomever confesses first, wins.

EDIT: The enemy commander had better not be named Kamjin. He can be descended from him for all I care, but it better not be him.

[KrayZ33]

I'm looking towards to the next episode... some nice fighting scenes in the preview.

Alto truely loves flying, I don't think he will go back to acting, only if he is forced to somehow.

but even if he is... sheryl + ranka will tell him that he should do that what he believes him and that is flying.
The only reason for Alto following Sheryl seems to be that he can fly during that mission btw... I don't think he chose Sheryl because he likes her more than Ranka. (at least not at this point).

When Sheryl told him that he could fly endlessy on that planet, Alto's heart grew wider, which is the reason why he chose the mission over ranka

so for him: Flying > everything else ^^

[Ryllharu]

I don't know about that. Part of the reason his "brother" had such a profound effect on Alto was because he's unsure. They mentioned it, and Alto had the corresponding flashback of how easily he slipped back into acting during the movie. The line about him only playing the role of an actor-wannabe-pilot hit him really hard.

Alto has self doubts about it. He's not sure if that is a lie or not. I'm sure the "brother" said it in an attempt to make Alto doubt, but Alto used to think highly enough of his acting ability that the very real possibility exists (and does do elaborate poses when defeating enemies).

On the other hand, they showed the flashback of how happy he was throwing the paper airplane when he was young.

I think that Alto doesn't want to choose. It's pretty obvious he still enjoys acting as much as he loves flying. He chose to go with Sheryl because he is trying to deny that he loves acting. The accusation that he's just playing the role of a pilot forced his hand. I took the "brother's" refusal to talk about succession to Alto's father as proof that he only called Alto out on it to make Alto doubt his love piloting enough to come back.

For both Sheryl and Ranka, right now anyway, singing is more important than anything else. That's why Sheryl is stubbornly going with a fever. For Alto, it's totally different.

Flying = Acting > everything else. He just doesn't want to admit it.

[Buffalobiian]

Can anyone comment on Lunar subs? They're releasing up-to-date HD, and I got tired waiting for Gattai.